Chair



(No Model.)

H OHARE FOLDING CHAIR.

Patented Mar. 26, 1889..

WITNESSES.

N. PETERS. Fhnlvl-ilhagqghar, Wnhingion. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH OHARE, OF MOUNT PLEASANT, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN F. LEEOH,

OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 400,357, dated March 26, 1889.

Application filed August 2, 1888.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HUGH OI-IARE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing .at Mount Pleasant, in the county of Henry and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to folding chairs.

The object of the invention is to construct the frame that it may be folded compactly for storage or transportation, the joints being so arranged .with relation to each other and to the direction of strain that the frame will have greatstrength and rigidity in use.

A further obj ectof the invention is to provide a folding frame fitted with an upholstered seat and back.

With these and minor objects in view the invention consists in details of construction and combinations, to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a chair embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same in its folded position. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a chair arranged to fold in a direction the reverse of that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 isa side elevation of the chair shown in Fig. 3 folded. Fig. 5 illustrates a chair having an upholstered back hinged at one side to one of the back posts.

The chair-frame is composed of two rigid main sections,A and B, forming the sides or the front and back, as choice or particular uses may determine, and may be construct-ed of bent or sawed wood, orof metal, as preferred.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

the side pieces forming the back posts, 0,

rigid seat-rail C, and front leg, 0 of a section are preferably formed of one piece, though in using tubular metal ordinary elbow-couplings may be used at the angles. At or near Serial No. 281,796. (No model.)

the junction of the back post, 0, and rigid seat-rail C is rigidly secured the upper end of the rear leg, 0 The front and rear legs of a sectionsay Aare connected together near the lower end by a rigid brace, and to the hinged front and rear seat-rails, b, of the other section, B, by diagonal pivotally-secured braces a, the hinged seat-rails a of section A being of course connected in like manner with the legs of section B. The front and rear seat-rails, a b, are hinged together centrally, and at their ends hinged to the side seat-rails, C, of the respective sections, the rigid upholstered cushion-frame or seat-frame D being also divided centrally, as shown. This construction, however, is not essential, as the cushion-frame for this style of chair may be made similar to that shown in Figs. 3 and 4, it being understood that in such an event the hinge-straps d should embrace one of the rigid side seat-rails C. The back posts,O, may be connected by a jointed horizontal brace similar to the front or rear seat-rails, a b, and diagonal braces similar to those lettered a b, as shown in Fig. 1; or a solid upholstered back frame may be hinged at one side to one of these posts, as in Fig. 5, and connected at the other side to the other post, by any suitable catch.

The chair shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is similar fore deem a more detailed description of the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 unnecessary.

By the words rigid main sections used herein is meant that the principal members of each section A or B have no movement with relation to each othe'ras, for instance, in the chair shown in Figs. 1 and 5 each rigid main sect-ion comprises one back post, 0, one side seat-rail, 0', one front leg, O and one rear leg, 0 and each one of these members of a section is immovable with relation to the other members of the section, though, owing to the hinged rails a b and diagonal braces whichv connect the two rigid sections of a chair, said rigid sections can be folded against each other.

section A comprises two back posts, two rear legs, and a rear seat-rail, while the section B is formed of the front seat-rail and the two front legs. The members of these sections (A and B) have no movement with relation to each other; but one section can be moved bodily toward the other section.

I have used the words rigid cushion frame and rigid seat-frame herein to distinguish the construction shown from folding chairs in which the seat is formed of canvas, carpet, or other flexible material, and I intend these words to apply as Well to the centrally-divided upholstered frame shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as to the solid upholstered frame shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, because this centrally-divided seatframe is, in fact, unyielding or rigid when the chair is in use.

Chairs constructed as herein described may be used with special advantage in concert or lecture halls, as the bottoms of the legs of one sectionsay Amay be secured firmly to the flooring, and the other section, B, folded closely against the first-named section, thus providing a broad aisle between the chairs when not in use and economizin g valuable space within the hall, at the same time avoiding the annoyance of being compelled to unfold the main sections before unfolding the chair and avoiding the expense of providing the ordinary metal theater or opera chairs.

By the use of chairs such as shown in Figs.

1, 2, and 5 a series of wide passages from front to rear of a hall can be maintained so long as the chairs are unoccupied, and when occupied all the lateral space of the hall will be filled, and by use of chairs such as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 wide lateral passages or aisles can be maintained until the chairs are filled.

I claim 1. In a chair, the combination of two parallel rigid sections, two hinged seat-rails connecting said sections, brace-rods pivoted at their lower ends to the respective sections, and at their upper ends to the hinged seat-rails of the opposite section, and the rigid seat-frame hinged to a rigid seat-rail to fold parallel with the sections.

2. In a chair, the combination of two parallel rigid sections, two hinged seat-rails con necting said sections, brace-rods pivoted at their lower ends to the respective sections and at their upper ends to the hinged seat-rails of the opposite section, and a rigid centrally-divided seat-frame supported by the hinged seatrails and connected to the rigid seat-rails to fold parallel with the chair-sections.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HUGH OHARE.

Witnesses:

CHAS. E. CAULK, D. W. ROBINSON. 

